Edification vs. Mysticism; 1 Cor. 14:1-12
As we get into chapter fourteen we are continuing the study of tongues. The spiritual gift of languages was a major issue in the Corinthian church. Tongues was not a communication gift per se. In other words, its purpose was not for revelation, not to reveal new truth. Its purpose was to signify judgment. There were two sign gifts, miracles and healing, that were designed to give credibility to the apostles; they served as a calling card for the apostles when they came into town. Tongues was not directed as a sign to the hearers in that way, it was designed to be a sign to the Jews that judgment was coming on Israel because of their rejection of the Messiah.
The purpose of the first 19 verses of chapter 14 is to provide regulation, the rule for operation of the gift of languages in a local congregation. Remember, this was a time when the gift of languages was still valid and there might have been some in the Corinthian congregation who could had the gift of languages, so Paul couldn't say don't do it, it is not valid, he had to deal with it in a sophisticated manner that laid down regulations that would exclude the counterfeit and false of so-called tongues versus the legitimate gift of languages. Not underst6anding that is one reason there are a lot of problems and confusion in interpreting certain passages in this chapter.
One other thing we have to understand by way of background, and that is the background of the Corinthians. They were involved in what we know as mystery religions. To get into these mystery religions one had to go through various initiatory rites, which meant learning the mysteries, i.e. the hidden secret things of this particular cult. The Corinthians were involved with pseudo-tongues and practicing the ecstatic gibberish of the pagan mystery religions inside the church. Paul has to correct this and he begins in verse one by giving them two commands.
1 Corinthians 14:1 NASB "Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual {gifts,} but especially that you may prophesy." The initial command is to pursue love. Fit that into the context. We have just been through chapter 13 where Paul had appeared to be a digression, discussing the virtue of love in the Christian life, and he ended chapter 12 with "But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way." If we look at that verse in 1 Corinthians 12:31 we discover that the word there for desire is zeloo [zhlow], the same word that is used for desiring spiritual gifts in v. 1 of chapter 14 and it is used again in verse 12 of chapter 14: "So also you, since you are zealous [zhlow] of spiritual {gifts,} seek to abound for the edification of the church." So they are to be zealous of spiritual gifts, i.e. they are to desire spiritual gifts. This is a word emphasizing that as a priority. There is nothing wrong with that, Paul is not challenging them at all about their desire for spiritual gifts, but he says there is something more important. What is more important is to pursue virtue-love which is what comes from spiritual maturity and spiritual advance. Spiritual gifts are distributed by God the Holy Spirit at the instant of salvation, so there is an importance to spiritual gifts but don't over emphasize it or distort it out of proportion. Paul's emphasis here is to pursue love and desire the spiritual gifts. The word he uses here for spiritual gifts (the word "gifts" isn't present, just the word "spiritual") should be translated "spiritual things" here, actually. What he is saying there is "earnestly desire the things of the Spirit," which includes spiritual growth but also spiritual gifts, but then he says, "even more," i.e. the English "especially," which is the Greek word mallon [mallon], "that you may prophesy." His argument is that prophecy has to do with the disclosure of divine truth or Bible doctrine, and it is done in the native language so that people can understand what is said and it is usable for spiritual growth and spiritual advance. So the emphasis in verses 1-19 is on edification and his basic argument is this: tongues doesn't edify but prophecy does.
We have to watch because he makes some very interesting moves in this process, but his basic point is: pursue or make a point of edification, not the practice of a spiritual gift. Now that slaps all of the church growth people today right in the face. Why does Paul say, "especially that you may prophesy"?
1 Corinthians 14:2 NASB "For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in {his} spirit he speaks mysteries." He begins this with the Greek particle gar [gar] which indicates an explanation, he is explaining his statement of verse one; "one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God." Here is what we must notice. The word "tongue" here is the word glossa [glwssa] and it is used in the singular. When Paul uses the word in the singular he is referring to the pseudo-tongues of ecstatic utterance that is being practiced in the Corinthian congregation. In this section of chapter 14 when Paul uses the word in the singular he is talking about the false use of the gift. When he uses the word glossa in the plural he is talking about the legitimate expression of the gift of languages. If we fail to note that we just won't have a clue as to what is going on in this passage and will think that every time he uses the word glossa he is referring to the same thing. The point he is making is not that it is valid to speak in a tongue and to speak to God. This is where the modern Charismatic has gotten completely off track. They think that this verse validates speaking to God is a prayer language, and that is completely absurd. Whenever we see people in the Scriptures pray they pray in their everyday language. When Jesus prayed His high priestly prayer in John 17 He prayed in either Greek or Aramaic, He prayed in His everyday language. There is no indication anywhere in Scripture that one should pray in a special prayer language. Furthermore, if we look at this verse in the English it says: "For one who speaks in an ecstatic utterance does not speak to men but to God," and the English capitalizes God there. But that is a mistake. In the Greek we have the word theos [qeoj], but it lacks the definite article. Just because it doesn't have the article in the Greek doesn't mean it is not definite. The word qeoj can be definite without the presence of the article because the Greek article doesn't function like the English article. The lack of the article in 1 Corinthians 14:2 indicates that it should be translated: "For one who speaks in an ecstatic utterance does not speak to men but to a god." That is what the Corinthians were doing, they were speaking to their god. Paul is simply indicating that this is the modus operandi of the pagan mystery religions.
"…for no one [no human being can] understands, but in {his} spirit," his immaterial part. Here is a non-technical use of the word pneuma [pneuma]. Remember, pneuma can be used a number of different ways in Scripture. It can be used to refer to the wind, it can refer to breath, it can refer to just that simple life-giving spirit in every human being, it can refer in a generic sense to the soul, i.e. the immaterial part of man, and so there are passage sin the Old Testament which speak of the spirit of unbelievers but that is where it is used in a non-technical sense. But we have to look at technical passages such as 1 Corinthians 2:12-14 where psuchikos [yuxikoj] is contrasted with pneumatikos [pneumatikoj], and also passages like Jude 19 which defines psuchikos as not having a spirit. So it is very clear from those passages that when you use "spirit" is the technical sense of the human spirit it is in contrast to having only a soul. But here was have just a generic use of the word which is how the Corinthians were using the word. Paul is using their verbiage and throwing it back at them, and he says that no one understands when you have this ecstatic utterance because in your "spirit" you speak in mysteries. In other words, this is mystery religion kind of material, they are just speaking this ecstatic gibberish. Paul is not using the word musterion [musthrion] here to describe mystery doctrine, he is using it here the way they were using it in reference to their past in the mystery religions.
Furthermore, another reason a prayer language cannot work as an interpretation here is because this would lead to self-edification, and the purpose of a spiritual gift is to edify other believers. You never use your spiritual gift to edify yourself. So there cannot be a private use of tongues, that is excluded by definition; you can't have a gift of languages for personal edification, that is excluded by the use of the term.
1 Corinthians 14:3 NASB "But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation." One who prophesies speaks to men for three things: a) edification. Edification means to build someone up spiritually. It is from the Greek word oikodome [o)ikodomh], the verb means to build up or strengthen. It has the idea of building up or strengthening our soul as the result of Bible doctrine; b) exhortation. The Greek word paraklesis [paraklhsij] from the verb parakaleo [parakaloew] which is some passages indicate comfort or encouragement. That is based on knowledge of doctrine; c) consolation. The Greek word paramuthios [paramuqioj] which is very similar to paraklesis and has to do with comforting someone in times of difficulty through the absolutes of God's Word. So prophecy here indicates special revelation from God is a situation that is going to produce spiritual growth, encouragement to the individual because of the absolutes of doctrine, and comfort in times of adversity and stress so that they can learn and utilize the problem-solving devices.
In contrast: 1 Corinthians 14:4 NASB "One who speaks in a tongue [singular: therefore 'ecstatic utterance'] edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church." Note: We are translating this "ecstatic utterance" in terms of English simply to clarify the meaning. The word glossa never is used to mean ecstatic utterance anywhere. The Corinthians are calling it tongues, so Paul is using their vocabulary, glossa, back to them. If we were writing this we would put glossa in quotation marks. So we are utilizing a sort of literary licence here to use this as ecstatic utterance just for clarification. Literally he is saying: "One who speaks in a 'tongue,' which is what you claim to be doing, edifies himself. They were claiming they were speaking in a biblical gift of languages and Paul is saying, no, what you are doing, "speaking in a tongue," is simply self-edification. So Paul is saying: "Look, what you are doing only edifies you, not other members in the body of Christ; therefore it is not the operation of the spiritual gift." It is carnality. Is God going to bless and honour carnality? No, He is not.
In contrast: "but one who prophesies edifies the church." This is the issue.
1 Corinthians 14:5 NASB "Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but {even} more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying." Now Paul shifts from the singular to the plural. This is where he goes to the legitimate use" "I wish that you all spoke in languages." Does he mean that literally? In chapter twelve he said not everybody has any of the spiritual gifts; everybody has different spiritual gifts. No one spiritual gift is present in every believer. So he doesn't mean this literally. He is simply making a statement using hyperbole for the sake of argument. "…but {even} more that you would prophesy." If he was making a literal statement here he would be contradicting what he said two chapters earlier. He is merely saying here by using this figure of speech that it is great that they can speak in languages (legitimate use), but even more they need to prophesy because that is where edification and spiritual growth comes from. "…and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks [legitimately] in tongues [languages], unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying." In other words, the point is there has to be understanding of the message in your native language, otherwise no spiritual growth take place and it is just emptiness, meaningless sound.
1 Corinthians 14:6 NASB "But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?" In other words, it won't be of spiritual value for your growth unless it is from a) revelation, the use of revelatory gifts. These are four communication gifts mentioned here that involve revelation. Notice, tongues is not one of them.
1 Corinthians 14:7 NASB "Yet {even} lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp?" When a child picks up a musical instrument and makes noise there is no distinction of notes or sound or melody and it has no meaning or value, the cacophony is just emptiness, a meaningless sound. That is what this verse is saying.
1 Corinthians 14:8 NASB "For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?" This is a bugle command in a military environment. If the bugler just makes a noise on the bugle without a distinct command then the soldier would not know what to do. So there must be a distinct meaningful sound otherwise there is no benefit to the listener.
1 Corinthians 14:9 NASB "So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air." In other words, if you don't have a clear, legitimate language being communicated nobody is going to know what is being said, you are just speaking into the air. It is useless, meaningless and has no value whatsoever.
1 Corinthians 14:10 NASB "There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no {kind} is without meaning." He changes the word here from glossa to phone [fonh]. By changing to phone he is not legitimising their misuse of tongues to describe ecstatic utterances, and he is not allowing them the room to say: Well it has some value, you don't know what it is Paul. Paul is saying no. legitimate languages all have meaning, they all communicate something.
1 Corinthians 14:11 NASB "If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me." If you were a Greek anyone who didn't speak Greek was a barbarian and speaking meaningless gibberish.
1 Corinthians 14:12 NASB " So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual {gifts,} seek to abound for the edification of the church." For "spiritual" Paul uses the word pneuma here, not pneumatika. We have seen early that there are different uses of the word pneuma and we have to look at each sentence, each use, and define by context what it means. Here he uses the word pneuma to refer to spiritual gifts. The point is edification, spiritual growth. Edification comes only through a study of the Word of God and the Word of God is the means under the filling of the Holy Spirit for edification. This is what Paul emphasizes in Acts 20:32 when he is addressing the Ephesian elders and says to them: "And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build {you} up and to give {you} the inheritance among all those who are sanctified." It is the Word of God's grace which has the ability to build us up, to mature us spiritually so that we can advance to spiritual maturity and be guaranteed an inheritance at the judgment seat of Christ—gold, silver, and precious stones—so that we will be prepared to rule and reign with Christ in the Millennial kingdom.